GUI modeling of deep hierarchical data

• US 20080120593A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Elad, Rafi, Keren, Ido
• Application Number:
  US11/602,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods, systems, and software for Graphical User Interface (GUI) modeling of deep hierarchical data in a modeling environment without typically requiring a nearly flat hierarchy. For example, a modeling (or development) environment comprising computer-readable instructions can be operable when executed to present a modeling interface to a developer. The modeling environment identifies a hierarchical data element in response to an indication by the developer via the modeling interface and can automatically generate a model of the identified hierarchical data element. In some cases, the modeled hierarchical data element comprises three or more levels.

Claims

1. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) modeling environment comprising computer-readable instructions operable when executed to:

present a modeling interface to a developer;

identify a hierarchical data element in response to an indication by the developer via the modeling interface, the hierarchical data element comprising three or more levels; and

automatically generate a model of the identified hierarchical data element.

2. The modeling environment of claim 1, the hierarchical data element comprising one of the following:

a menu;

a catalog;

an item;

a business structure;

or

a general ledger object.

3. The modeling environment of claim 1, further operable to identify a type of a root object of the hierarchical data element.

4. The modeling environment of claim 3, further operable to present an interface to the developer such that the developer can define a name for the type of the root object and a name for child objects of the root object.

5. The modeling environment of claim 3, further operable to deploy a dataset for the type of the root object based on the generated model.

6. The modeling environment of claim 5, wherein the hierarchical data element comprises a plurality of children, each child comprising an instance of the hierarchical data element such that a root object of the hierarchical data element is a recursive instance of the hierarchical data element.

7. The modeling environment of claim 5, wherein the modeled hierarchical data element represents a dynamically sized data element at deployment.

8. The modeling environment of claim 1, further operable to embed the generated model of the hierarchical data element into a second model associated with a business application.

9. A computer implemented method comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) modeling interface to a developer;

identifying a hierarchical data element in response to an indication by the developer via the modeling interface, the hierarchical data element comprising three or more levels; and

automatically generating a model of the identified hierarchical data element.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hierarchical data element comprises one of the following:

a menu;

a catalog;

an item;

a business structure;

or

a general ledger object.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising identifying a type of a root object of the hierarchical data element.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting an interface to the developer such that the developer can define a name for the type of the root object and a name for child objects of the root object.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 11, further comprising deploying a dataset for the type of the root object based on the generated model.

14. The method of claim 13, the hierarchical data element comprising a plurality of children, each child comprising an instance of the hierarchical data element such that a root object of the hierarchical data element is a recursive instance of the hierarchical data element.

15. The method of claim 13, the modeled hierarchical data element representing a dynamically sized data element at deployment.

16. A modeling system comprising:

memory storing a plurality of hierarchical data elements, at least a subset of the hierarchical data elements comprising three or more levels; and

one or more processors operable to;

present a graphical user interface (GUI) modeling interface to a developer;

identify one of the hierarchical data elements in response to an indication by the developer via the modeling interface; and

automatically generate a model of the identified hierarchical data element.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the hierarchical data element comprises one of the following:

a menu;

a catalog;

an item;

a business structure;

or

a general ledger object.

18. The system of claim 16, the one or more processors operable to identify a type of a root object of the hierarchical data element.

19. The system of claim 18, the one or more processors operable to present an interface to the developer such that the developer can define a name for the type of the root object and a name for child objects of the root object.

20. The system of claim 18, the one or more processors operable to deploy an instantiated dataset for the type of the root object based on the generated model.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the hierarchical data element comprises a plurality of children, each child comprising an instance of the hierarchical data element such that a root object of the hierarchical data element is a recursive instance of the hierarchical data element.